MEMOIRS OF JOSEPH GBEttAIDI, 349
following day was Ms birth-day—he completed his thirtieth year
that morning—and before it had passed over, the then lessee of
the dueen's Theatre waited upon him, and offered Mm an en-
gagement for a short time at a weekly salary of 4l. He agreed
to take it, and arranged to begin on the following Monday,
November 25, in a part called Black Ccesar.
It was sorely against Ms father's will that he went to fuMl
tMs engagement, for Ms health had been waning for some time,
and he was fearful that he might relapse into Ms old habits.
However, he was determined to go, and borrowing some money
of Ms father, as was Ms usual wont, he left "Woolwich on the
Sunday morning.
On the "Wednesday, Grrimaldi had occasion to go to town, aad
eagerly embraced it as an opportunity for seeing Ms son, to
whom, despite all the anxiety and losses he had caused him, he
was still most tenderly attached. He wrote to him, naming
the friend's house at wMch he would be found, and the young
man came. He looked in excellent health—was in Mgh spirits,
and boasted of Ms success in terms wMeh from all accounts, it
appeared, were justified by its extent. Shortly after dinner he
left, observing, that as he had to appear in the first scene of the
first piece, he had no time to lose. His father never saw Mm more.
Gximaldi returned to "Woolwich next day, and anxiously
hoped on Sunday to see the misguided man to dinner, agreeably
to a promise he had made. The day passed away, but he did
not come; a few more days elapsed, and then he received an
intimation from a stranger that his son was ill. He immediately
wrote to a friend, (Mr. Grlendinning the printer,) requesting Mm
to ascertain the nature of his indisposition, wMch he feared was
only the effect of some new intemperance, and if it should appear
necessary, to procure him medical assistance. For two days he
heard nothing; but this did not alarm him, for he entertained
no doubt that Ms son's illness would disappear when the fumes
of the liquor he had drunk had evaporated.y new house are now complete, and I shall very soon be able